''Lophocereus'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

cacti A cactus (: cacti, cactuses, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae (), a family of the order Caryophyllales comprising about 127 genera with some 1,750 known species. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, ...

. It has often been merged into the genus ''

Pachycereus ''Pachycereus'' is a genus of large cacti native to Central America and Mexico. They form large shrubs or small trees up to 15 m tall, with stout stems up to 1 m in diameter. ''Pachycereus'' comes from the ancient Greek παχύς (''p ...

'', but was separated in a 2019 revision of ''Pachycereus'', and is accepted by Plants of the World Online .

Description

''Lophocereus'' are bushy cacti, little or very branched from the base, with 4-15 pronounced ribs. They have variable spines depending on the species. In summer, on the sides of the stem, on the pseudocephalium in ''L. schotti'', self-sterile tubular flowers of reddish, orange, or greenish color, sometimes yellow, emerge. It has scales on the outside. The flowers are pollinated by insects and bats. Its fruits are red globose and its seeds are black and shiny.

Species

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

accepts the following species:

Uses

Its cultivation is very widespread in family gardens, to prevent erosion and for its fruits, and in gardens for its ornamental value. The fruits are consumed fresh or dried and used to make sauces, ice cream and jams. The stems serve as fodder. They are used as medicine for earaches, diarrhea, kidney and bladder problems, ulcers, tumors, even cirrhosis. It is also used to dye hair and prevent hair loss. Its wood is used in construction and planted close together they serve as fences for corrals.

References

Echinocereeae Cactoideae genera {{Cactus-stub